Cats have tie tying trouble

Two Kentucky players were fit to be untied at Southeastern Conference Media Days.

Seniors Raymond Sanders and Avery Williamson both opted to go with the trendy bow-tie look on Wednesday. When they got them at Men’s Wearhouse recently, the ties came with an instruction card.

How hard could it be?

“They told us it was easy, but we failed miserably,” said Evan Crane, UK assistant media relations director, who accompanied the players and Coach Mark Stoops on the trip. “It was awful.”

Turns out UK had some trying tying times at the Wynfrey Hotel before its speaking engagements with the media.

At first UK media relations type Susan Lax thought she could do it from a how-to video she found on the Internet. No luck for her or Stoops or any of the others in the travel party.

“When they both got there and didn’t know how to tie them, it was like, ‘What are we going to do now?’” Crane said.

A bow-tie wearing SEC student worker saved the day, coming up to UK’s suite to tie up the loose ends before the event.

It helped lighten the mood, the players said. Williamson enjoyed wearing the bowtie and even sent his mom a picture of himself in it.

“She really liked,” he said. “She gave it the stamp of approval.”

About Jennifer Smith

Jen Smith has been a sports writer at the Herald-Leader since 2000, covering everything from high school sports to auto racing to various University of Kentucky sports. A native of Louisville and a graduate of the University of Kentucky (much to the dismay of her Louisville graduate mother and Indiana graduate father), Jen now resides in downtown Lexington with her husband and two young sons. You can follow her on Twitter @jenheraldleader or send her an email at jsmith3@herald-leader.com.